Lines in the Sand
by Jenifer-and-Rose-rule
Summary: To understand any story, you have to look at it from every perspective. Short drabbles inspired by the Star Wars series, where all characters are fair game.


A/N: This is my attempt to get back into writing. Each chapter will contain three pieces that could be from any time in the Star Wars universe. These short drabbles are meant to be fast written and will hopefully help me find where my writing has its biggest weaknesses. Criticism is much appreciated, so don't hold back.

Also I would love to continue any drabbles that people find interesting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

**Chapter One: Before Hope**

**Wish**: 367 words, Obi-wan Kenobi

There are times when Obi-wan wishes that Anakin had died that day on Mustafar. That no one had managed to pull his smoldering corpse out of the wreckage of their broken friendship and into the dark suit that now haunts the mind of millions.

The Jedi that he has always wanted to be, the one he could almost see himself becoming as a young boy that wished every day for recognition in the pristine halls of the Jedi Temple, would have seen it nothing less than the most favorable outcome. It would have ensured the safety of the galaxy, prevented so many pointless deaths.

_And what is the worth of one wayward boy against the whole of the Jedi order? _

The part of him that is a teacher and a softer individual than he wants to admit thinks that it would have been better. A quick death would certainly have been kinder to his very young padawan.

_But Obi-wan never strays along this thought path long, because when he thinks to long about it he can't close his eyes without seeing licking flames and scored flesh. _

A far more selfish (and more honest) part of Obi-wan thinks that it would have been less complicated. It would have given him some much needed closure. He would not have to wonder, every day, what he had done to create this all-consuming monster. He would not have to contemplate how much of the galaxy's destruction was directly his fault. He would not have to think about how much further his best friend had fallen.

_It would almost be worth it not to have Darth Vader in the Universe at all. It would be _so_ much less worry, so much less stress. _

But even the most selfish and honest part of Obi-wan Kenobi refuses to admit that the when it really come down to it, he wouldn't have changed what happened on Mustafar. That when he balances the safety of the universe against his very young, very wayward Jedi Knight, he just can't seem to come to the logical conclusion. In the mind of Obi-wan Anakin's light, dead and buried as it is, will always be more important than his darkness.

**Future**: 130 words, Obi-wan Kenobi

It was not an easy task to look to the future when so much of the past was left in a smoldering pile behind him. The systematic whooshing of the air vents persistently bringing him the scent of burning flesh and bone even though the rational part of him (and isn't that a funny concept now!) knew that he was light-years too far away to smell it anymore.

On a large board, hoisted several feet in the air, bright green lights blinked away, indicating that his shuttle would be boarding momentarily.

Obi-wan Kenobi adjusted his hold on the small brown-swathed bundle in his arms and begrudgingly tried to accept that the only future open to him now was the oddly well-behaved infant looking up to him with wide blue eyes.

**Orbital**: 382 words, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader

The early morning sun beat down relentlessly on a young figure, perched precariously on the top of a rust-riddled structure that anyone on this planet could easily identify as an outdated vaporator.

The eighteen year old sighed in ill-concealed frustration as he looked up to where he knew the shuttle bringing new Imperial recruits to the Academy would be making its way across the sky and out of Tatooine's influence forever. Though their journey across the too-blue sky was not actually visible, Luke Skywalker liked to think that he could sense it anyway.

He shifted his head down, tearing it away from where he felt certain the shuttle was.

Though jealousy was not a trait that Luke much admired, he found that the churning feeling in his stomach could be nothing else. Was it fair that Biggs, who wasn't even as good at flying as Luke, was allowed to pursue a position in the Imperial Navy when Luke was stranded on this dust ball? Luke, even as he knew that he was being unfair, thought it wasn't.

Biggs would be an asset to the Imperial Navy, a real find, but he would never be quite as good as Luke. He didn't deserve to have everything continuously handed to him on a silver platter, while Luke was bound to this planet by his over-controlling uncle.

Luke reached his right hand skyward and for a moment almost felt…connected, as if he could make Biggs stay.

But Luke knew that he could not, and that holding Biggs back wasn't the right thing to do. It just wasn't fair because Biggs was one of the few people that made his existence on Tatooine bearable.

More light streamed down on Luke as the second sun finally broke free of the mountains in the distance. Luke, covered in dust and feeling unequivocally alone, left for the shelter of his room before the rising of the second sun made it unbearably hot.

More than half a galaxy away a dark figure stirred from sleep. Hazy visions of a home long forgotten and dreams half destroyed reaching out for him after two decades of near silence.

Darth Vader shook his head slightly, trying to shake the dream, and concluded that a morning 'instructing' the new recruits would do him good.


End file.
